Grand Central announces Hitachi tri-mode order after securing 11-year track access extension

Grand Central is to replace its diesel multiple unit fleet with Hitachi’s first UK tri-mode sets in an order worth around £300 million.

The nine five-car sets will replace the Class 180 and ‘221s’ following the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) decision to extend its existing rights between London, Bradford Interchange and Sunderland until December 2038, which RAIL exclusively revealed last week.

The new sets will be powered using overhead line equipment, battery or diesel, with the order also coming with a ten-year maintenance contract. Introduction is planned for 2028.

Hitachi Rail Chief Director of UK and Ireland, Jim Brewin, said: “Following the successful trial of this pioneering battery technology last year, Arriva and Angel Trains are transforming Hitachi's £17 million R&D investment into the first battery train order to be built in the UK."

Last year Hitachi temporarily replaced the diesel engine of a TransPennine Express Class 802 bi-mode unit with a battery power unit. The manufacturer said the results from months of dynamic testing were better than expected, showing fuel cost savings of up to 50% compared to the expected 30%, while also meeting journey and performance requirements.

Arriva, which owns Grand Central, said the new sets will be built at Newton Aycliffe and increase seat numbers by 20%, which is thought to make them the first UK-manufactured tri-mode trains. 

Amanda Furlong, Managing Director of Arriva UK Trains, said: “This major investment underscores our commitment to the UK market. We are proud to connect under-served communities with regional and national centres, helping make sustainable train travel the easy choice.

“These best-in-class, greener trains will deliver more comfortable journeys and a step-change in capacity on our popular Grand Central services. We look forward to announcing further rolling stock orders, providing jobs and wider economic benefits, as and when our network grows.”

The formal announcement of the deal is due to be made at Hitachi’ Newton Aycliffe factory by Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, who also visited in December when FirstGroup announced an order for new sets to run on its Lumo routes between Paddington and Carmarthen and King’s Cross and Edinburgh.

Alexander said the deal marked “yet another step forward in securing the future of rail manufacturing in the North East”.

Network Rail has undertaken power modelling since the application was first submitted in November 2024 to assess the effect of Grand Central using electric traction on the East Coast Main Line.

In the decision letter confirming the track access extension, ORR’s Senior Executive, Access & Licensing, David Reed, said: “The expedition of consideration of this application was appropriate because it is a request for the continuation of existing services which Grand Central currently operates (and not an application for the use of additional capacity). We therefore considered this application in line with our policy of having a strong presumption of the continuation of existing rights.”

The ’Not Primarily Abstractive’ test was not carried out for the application as it was not for additional rights.

ORR said Grand Central needed the certainty of long-term access to order new units through Angel Trains.

“Based on the information supplied we consider that Grand Central is making a substantial investment in new rolling-stock to the benefit of passengers and were satisfied of Grand Central’s need for a ten-year commercial contract in the form of a lease with the rolling stock leasing company,” Reed’s letter added.

Last month Grand Central submitted a new application to ORR to run direct services between Cleethorpes and King’s Cross. It also wants permission for two additional daily return services on its Bradford route, an early morning and late evening return between York and London, and to stop at Seaham on the Sunderland route.